Electric controller.



A. E. BERDON.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.18, 1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALBERT E. sermon, or LA FAYETTE'INDIANA.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

To all whom it may concern 7 Be it known that I, ALBERT E. BERDON, acitizen of the United States, residing at La Fayette, in the county ofTippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Electric Controllers, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric controllers and, specificallyconsidered, is a species of the controller disclosed in my priorapplication for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 570,239, filedJ,uly 5, 1910.

My invention may be generally described as comprising an electriccurrent controlling device and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablepressure coil cotiperating with said magnet whereby movement of the coilis efl'ectedupon suflicient energization of the coil; a movable currentcoil also cooperating with said magnet, the current and pressure coilsbeing relatively substantially fixed, a resilient support or device forthe coils and operating to restore the coils when suflicientlydenergized, and switching mechanism subject to the movement of saidcoils and operated upon by the pressure coil in cooperation with themagnet to alter said electric circuit at a predetermined minimum valueof electromot-ive force impressed on said pressure coil and ope-ratedupon by the current coil in cooperation with the magnet to maintain thechange in the circuit effected by "the pressure coil.

I will explain my invention fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing showing the preferred embodiment thereof and illustrating'two ofmany applicationsto which the invention may be put. '1

In the drawing Figure 1 illustrates a storage battery charging circuitin connection with which the device is used; Fig. 2 shows the device asit may be employed to prevent appreciable current from flowing fromground to underground piping; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3of Fig. 2, certain pole pieces being broken away in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2for clearness.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe figures.

The high resistance pressure coil a and the comparatively low resistancecurrent coil 1) Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1913.

Application filed December 18, 1912. I Serial No. 737,508.

in which the coils a and b are free to move while surrounding the polepiece 0. The coils aand b are mounted in fixed relation to each otherupon the free lower end of a movable support in the form of a leafspring f whose upper end is anchored within a support g of insulatingmaterial. The spring support f is itself, preferably, one terminal ofthe current coil, the other terminal of the current coil residing in abrush contact h mounted upon the'spring f'near its lower end, butinsulated from direct electrical connection with said spring. Thecurrent coil. contact terminal it also constitutes one terminal of thepressure coil a, the other terminal of the pressure coil residing in ashort strip of metal 2' embedded in the insulating support 9. When thecontroller is in operation the pressure coil is constantly in circuit byway of the current coil,'while the current coil is adapted for inclusionin circuit by way of the contact provided upon the lower free end of acontact spring 72 whose upper end is held in the mounting block 9.

I will now refer more particularly to Fig.

l which shows the use of the device in connection with a storage batterycharging circuit. The direct current generator m' is adapted forinclusion in circuit with the storage battery 11. by the switch members0 and p at which time the switch member 1" is also closed so as toinclude the pressure coil (1 in bridge of the generator mains andthereby occasion the closure of the charging circuit at h, the chargingcircuit being traced from the'upper pole of the generator m through theswitch portion a, the spring support f, the current coil 6, the contacth, the contact spring 70,. the battery 11., the switch part p, tovthelower terminal of the enerator m. The load for the battery iwhich may bealso 'supplied with current mm the generator m when operating) isindicated at s. When the generator is thrown into circuit with thebattery and its load, the pressure coil 0. is included in bridge of thecharging circuit and in parallel with the'battery and the load 8, theinitial path containing the pressure coil being traced from the upperside of the generator circuit through the switch part 0, the spring f,the current coil Z), the pressure coil (1, the resistance Z, theterminal 6, the switch part 7', to'the lower side of the generatorcircuit. The bridge resistance 1 is so adjusted, or the strength of thespring f supporting the coils a and b is so adjusted that voltage equalto the average voltage of the battery to be charged is capable-ofeffecting movement of the coils until the charging circuit isestablished at h, movement of the coil (1 to the right (carrying with itcoil b) being due to the cooperation of the permanent magnet, the coilsin their movement being accompanied by the flexure of the spring f thatpermits the establishment of the charging circuit at it. Any increase ofvoltage impressed upon the mains will cause current to flow through thebattery m in such direction as to charge it, the pressure at the contactit being in proportion to the strength of the current because of theseries coil b.- A reduction of voltage impressed on the mains will firstreduce the pressure at contact h to zero and then permit the chargingcircuit to open at h due to the resiliency of the supporting spring f. Areversed current cannct exist because of the polarized action due topermanent magnet, a reverse current tending to cause *wider separationof contacts at hand while the permanent magnet is preferably of theordinary permanent magnet horseshoe formation, I do not limit myself toa magnet lacking an energizing winding. Likewise reversed potentia'lw1ll prevent circuit from being closed. While the charging circuit is aclosed the switch 7 may be opened without stopping thefchargingoperation until the current reduces to such a value that the ampereturns of the series coil 7) alone will not be sufiicient to maintain thecontact at h, whereupon the charging circuit will open at h and remainopen until switch 1- be made very weak and the shunt of very highresistance to keep down this current flow to a negligible quantity.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention,but

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters that is surrounded by the pressure coil, the

current and pressure coils being relatively substantially fixed; meansfor restoring the coils to normal position when suflicientlydeenergized; and'a switching device actuated upon the cooperation of thepressure coil and magnet to close said electric circuit at apredetermined minimum value of electromotive force impressed on thepressure coil, the current coil and magnet cooperating to operate uponsaid switch to maintain the circuit closed when the current. coil issufficiently energized. v

2. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablehollow pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlled circuitand surrounding a pole of said magnet whereby said coil is moved by thecooperation of the magnetic fields produced by the magnet and coil whenthe coil is sufficiently energized; a movablehollow current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also surerated upon bythe current coil in coopera-- tion with the magnet to maintain thechange in the circuit effected by the pressure coil.

3. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablehollow pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlled circuitand surrounding a pole of said magnet whereby said coil is moved by thecooperation of the magnetic fields produced by the magnet and coil whenthe coil is sutficiently energized;

a movable hollow current coil receiving current from the controlledcircuit and also surrounding the pole of the magnet that is surroundedby the pressure coil, the current and pressure coils being relativelysubstantially fixed; a resilient support for the coils and operating torestore the coils when sulficiently deonergized; and a switching deviceactuated by the cooperation of the'pressure coil and magnet to closesaid electric circuit at a predetermined minimum value of electromotiveforce impressed on the pressure coil, the current coil and magnetcooperating upon said switch to maintain the circuit closed when thecurrent coil is sufiiciently energized.

4. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablehollow pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlled circuitand surrounding a pole of said magnet whereby said coil is moved by thecooperation of the magnetic fields produced by the magnet and coil whenthe coil is sufliciently energized; a movable hollow current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also surrounding thepole of the magnet that is surrounded by the pressure coil, the currentand pressure coil-s being relatively substantially fixed; a resilientsupport for the coils and operating to restore the coils whensufliciently deenergized; and switching mechanism subject to themovement of said coils and operated upon by the pressure coil incooperation with the magnet to alter-said electric circuit at apredetermined minimum .value of electromotive force impressed on saidpressure coil and operated upon by the current coil in cooperation withthe magnet to maintain the change in the circuit efl'ect'ed by thepressure coil.

5. An electric controller and ah electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablepressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlled circuit andcooperating with said magnet whereby movement of the coil is effectedupon suflicient energization of the coil; a movable current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also cooperating withsaid magnet to effect movement of this coil, the current and pressurecoils being relatively substantially fixed; means for restoring thecoils to normal position when sufficiently deenergized; and a switchingdevice actuated upon the co operation of the pressure ,coil and magnetto close said electric circuit at a predetermined minimum value ofelectromotive force impressed on the pressure coil, the current coil andmagnet cooperating to operate upon said switch to maintain the circuitclosed whenthe current coil is sufliciently energized.

6. electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby, saidcontroller including a magnet of unchanging polarity;

a movable pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlledcircuit and cooperating with said magnet whereby movement of the coil iseffected upon sulficient energization of the coil; a movable currentcoil receiving current from the controlled circuit and also cooperatingwith said magnet to elfect movement of this coil, the current andpressure coils being relatively substantially fixed; means for restoringthe coils to normal position when sufficiently deonergized; andswitching mechanism subject to the movement of said coils and operatedupon by the pressure coil in cooperation with the magnet to alter saidelectric circuit at a predetermined minimum value of electromotive forceimpressed on said pressure coil and operated upon by the current coil incooperation with the magnet to maintain the change in the circuiteflected by-the pressure coil.

7. An electric controller and an electric fixed; a resilient support forthe coils and I operating to restore the coils'when sufficientlydeenergized; and a switching device actuated by the cooperation of thepressure coil and magnet to close said electric circuit at apredetermined minimum value of electromotive force impressed on thepressure coil, the current coil and magnet cooperating upon said switchto maintain the circuit closed when the current coil is sufficientlyenergized.

8. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablepressure coil subject to the pressure of the, controlled circuit andcooperating with said magnetwhereby movement of the coil is eflectedupon sufiicient energization of the coil; a movable current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also cooperating withsaid magnet to effect movement of this coil, the current and pressurecoils being relatively substantially fixed; a resilient support for thecoils and operating to restore the coils when sufliciently deonergized;and switching mechanism subject to the movement of said coils andoperated upon by the pressure coil in cooperation with the magnet toalter said electric circuit at a predetermined minimum value ofelectromotive force impressed on said pressure coil and operated upon bythe current coil in cooperation with the magnet to maintain the changein the circuit effected by the pressure coil.

9. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablehollow pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlled circuitand surrounding a pole of said magnet whereby said coil is moved by thecooperation of the magnetic fields produced by the magnet and coil whenthe coil is sufficiently energized; a movable hollow current coilreceiving cur rent from the controlled circuit and also surrounding thepole of the magnet that issurrounded by the pressure coil, the currentand pressure coils being relatively substantially fixed; means forrestoring the coils to normal position when sufliciently denergized; anda switching device for governing the electric circuit and in turngoverned by said coils.

10. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller in cluding a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablepressure coil subject to the pres sure of the controlled circuit andcooperating With said magnet whereby movement of the coil is efiectedupon sufficient energization of the coil;'a movable current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also cooperating withsaid magnet to effect movement of the coil, the current andpressurecoils being relatively substantially fixed; means for restoring thecoils to normal position when sufiiciently deonergized; and a switchingdevice for governing the electric circuit and in turn governed by saidcoils.

11. An electric controller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablehollow pressure coil subject to the pressure of the controlledcircuitand surrounding a pole of-said magnet whereby said coil is moved by thecooperation of the magnetic fields produced by the magnet and coil whenthe coil is sufiiciently energized; a movable hollow current coilreceiving current from the controlled circuit and also surrounding thepole of the magnet that is surrounded by the pressure coil, the currentand pressure coils being relatively substantially fixed; aresilientsupport for the coils and operating to restore the coils whensufficiently deenergized; and a switching device for governing theelectric circuit and in turn governed by said coils.

12. An electriccontroller and an electric circuit controlled thereby,said controller including a magnet of unchanging polarity; a movablepressure coil subject to the presing with said magnet whereby movementof sure of the controlled circuit and cooperat v the coil is efi'ectedupon sufficient energiza- ALBERT 1i. BERDON.

Witnesses:

A. J. WEBER, J. W. ESTERLINE;

